Lioness
by Lizziekat15
Summary: STILL pissed about that deplorable finale. My mind has been teeming with a million ways it could have been better. This is just one of the many ideas I came up with. As always, I own nothing whatsoever to do with TWD or it's characters. And a big shout out again to Mistyeye for encouraging my ideas and angelsandarrows as well for keeping up the pats on the back.
1. Chapter 1

Lioness

Negan paced slowly in front of Rick and his group, swinging that damn bat he called Lucille. As he opened his mouth to speak, a sharp voice interrupted him.

"Really? Seriously? You've got these folks on their knees, some of them obviously badly hurt and you're going to pace around and swing that stupid bat around and run your yap for God knows how long?"

Negan stopped in his tracks and frowned. "Who the fuck is interrupting me?" he barked.

From behind Rick's group a man came forward dragging a woman. She was small, but apparently could take care of herself judging from the scratch marks and bloodied nose the man sported. She herself had a swelled and bleeding lip and an eye that would be purple soon.

Negan raised an eyebrow. "Who is this?" he asked, interest obvious on his face.

The man dragging her along smirked. "One of Ezekiels's. Thought we got 'em all, but she slipped away. Tracked her down though and just now got back with her," he said proudly, then yelped in surprise as the woman viciously elbowed him in the abdomen.

Negan laughed. "Well I'd heard he has a tiger, didn't know he had a lioness too," he crooned as he stepped closer to the woman and ran his eyes appreciatively over her figure. She was curvy but fit, with a wealth of auburn curls spilling messily over her shoulder, loose from her struggles with the man. Her eyes met Negan's without hesitation, and she smiled contemptuously before she spit at him. Negan laughed again.

"Damn this little lady has more fight in her than all of you poor bastards put together," he crowed to Rick and his group.

The woman snorted. "Oh for Christ's sake you stupid asshole. You've got them surrounded by your fuckboys after having beaten some of them," and here she ventured a glance at the group, "and it looks like at least one has been shot. What kind of fight do you expect them to have?"

Negan smirked at her. "Am I supposed to just let them go? They've killed my men, a lot of my men, and they have to pay."

The woman snorted again in derision. "And how many of them have you killed? Or Hilltop? Or my group? But that's okay, right? Big Bad Negan can do whatever he wants, everyone else has to kowtow to him." She spat at him again. "Why don't you try fighting fair just once! One on one, none of your fucktards can help you when you start getting your ass handed to you. None of their group can help. If you win, they do as you say. If they win, you leave them the fuck alone," the woman shouted. Her chest heaved and angry tears spilled unheeded down her cheeks.

Negan nodded thoughtfully. "That's a very good idea. I'll let you pick who gets the honor of getting crushed with Lucille," he said as he swung his bat menacingly toward Rick's group.

"I guess you're deaf as well as stupid," she hissed. Negan turned toward her again and glared. "I said you fight one on one. No weapons-and that includes that piece of shit bat you have." She crossed her arms over her chest and tapped her foot impatiently.

By now, the woman had Rick's groups undivided attention. Who the hell was this woman? They each considered themselves brave and fearless after all they'd been through-but this woman was purposely goading Negan without hesitation. She was either incredibly brave or incredibly foolish.

Negan growled, his indulgence of this woman at an end. She was no longer amusing –he needed to shut her down before his men absorbed much more of her attitude. "Alright then. I'm game. You pick, and I'll fight that person. If I win, they do as I say AND one of them gets to meet Lucille up close and personal. If they win, and that WON'T happen, they can go and I leave them alone. FOR NOW."

The woman huffed a breath of disgust. "You fucking pussy," she sneered. Negan straightened up as if he'd been slapped.

"You're pushing your luck bitch," he snarled.

The woman shrugged carelessly. "You don't scare me. All you ever do is huff and puff and run your mouth….." here she began to mimic his stance and started to walk similar to how he'd been strutting in front of Rick's group. "Blah blah blah….meet Lucille…blah blah blah….you can cry, you can moan, but you can't scream….blah blah…." She stopped and smiled contemptuously at him. Negan had a look of rage on his face. The woman laughed. "What? Did you think your performances were private? I've watched you do this act a couple of times by now. Had to bite my lip to keep from laughing too loud," she shook her head in bemusement. "Jesus you're cheesy. What movie did you get all that crap from? One of those Xmen, Superman, Batman whatever you fuckboys used to read at those nerdnic book stores? Christ, I bet before all this happened you were lucky to get a date much less laid, you pathetic loser," she snarled.

Negan threw Lucille, barely missing Sasha, and roared. "You fucking bitch!" He stood clenching his fists –looking somewhat like a bull about to rush a matador. If he'd had a tail, it would be twitching.

The woman laughed. "Truth hurts doesn't it?" she taunted.

"I'm going to make you regret you ever met me," he hissed.

"I think it'll be the other way around," she whispered, standing her ground unblinking. Her eyes flicked to Abraham and then to Rick. Abraham's eyes widened and he cautiously looked over toward Rick. Rick looked as if someone had just slapped him awake. All of them started glancing at each other surreptiously, realizing that this was the distraction they needed to hopefully surprise Negan's men so they could make a break for it.

As Negan approached the woman, Abraham and the others with the exception of Maggie and Daryl, stood and began fighting back against some of the closer men. Glen grabbed Maggie and began leading her toward the RV. He would have to come back for Daryl, who was slumped half over barely conscious from blood loss.

Negan paid no attention to his men, confident that they would overpower Rick and his group. He continued to advance on the woman, incredulous that she wasn't backing away from him. As he launched himself at her, she neatly sidestepped him and hurled a kick at his side. He stumbled and looked at her in shock and surprise.

"What's the matter? Don't remember how to fight someone without a hundred guys to back your sorry ass up, and that crappy bat in your hand?" she snarled.

"Who the fuck are you?" he snarled.

"I'm someone who didn't survive all the bullshit going down the last two years or so only to have some miserable bully fuck up my plans," she spat back. "People like you never get it-you never see the big picture. All you ever think about is paying the world back for whatever wrongs you think it did you. Now that you've bullied your way into being some version of evil dictator like you used to read about in your stupid comic books, you think you're a big deal. You forgot that those guys always got their asses handed to them by the end of the story," she continued. She whistled and there was an answering whistle. Negan stared in shock as a group of men swarmed his and began helping Rick's group decimate his. "You fool. Did you really think your man caught me? It was a set up, so my men could follow us back to you." She laughed in derision and whistled again. Four men appeared and roughly began to bind Negan's hands behind his back.

The woman sauntered over and picked up Negan's bat where it lay abandoned. She swung it lightly as if testing its weight, then shook her head in disgust. Striding back she saw Glen trying to get Daryl up and standing and crossed over to help him. She placed Daryl's bloodied arm over her shoulder and began crossing to the RV with Daryl propped between her and Glen. As they passed Negan she tossed the bat at one of the men holding Negan. "Hold onto this for me, I've got something special planned for it," she mumbled. The man nodded and picked the bat up from the ground where it'd landed.

Negan struggled briefly against the men holding him. "Hey what are your plans for me?" he yelled to her.

"That's for me to know and you to think about," she said over her shoulder as they led Daryl over to the RV.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

The RV was full of all the Alexandrians and a few men from the Kingdom. The rest of the men the woman had whistled for were herding up the remaining members of Negan's group and killing them. Negan himself had been dragged off to the van where Daryl, Michonne, Glen and Rosita had been held. Abraham sat in the driver's seat and looked curiously at the woman sitting in the passenger seat.

"Where to?" Abraham asked politely. This woman had his full respect and he would gladly do whatever she asked of him –he and his group owed this woman their lives. And possibly Maggie's baby's life as well.

The woman smiled back. "We'll go to my place. We've got a couple of doctors there who can take a look at your woman and the man who was shot."

Abraham nodded and started the RV up. He shifted into gear and began following a large truck that had appeared from the woods surrounding them. As he drove, he listened for sounds from behind him, wondering how Maggie was doing and how much blood Daryl had lost.

"Your place, how far is it?" Abraham asked after a few more minutes of silence.

"Closer than Hilltop, but in a different direction –we're further Northwest of Alexandria," she replied and lapsed into silence again.

"By the way, I'm Abraham. And I am mighty damn grateful you showed up when you did," he said, hoping to draw her into some type of conversation. He saw her glance sharply at him from the corner of his eye.

"I didn't just show up," she said tersely, "we've been following that fucker for weeks. We trade with Hilltop and we know all about their deal with him. When we found out months ago what Negan had done to them, we started planning for the eventual day he would come looking for us. Some of his assholes got one of our groups earlier today, and we got word that he was blockading roads to catch some of your group. So we decided we'd better move now while we had the chance to catch him off guard. The fool has gotten far too confident-never thought about anyone attacking him so he had the majority of his men out on the roads screwing with your group. We took out his base camp and some extensions and then started picking off the men at the blockades. You guys made it easy-they were so focused on catching you that they weren't paying attention."

Abraham nodded quietly. "Well, I thank you just the same. My family back there has been in some tight situations before-but this time I was convinced we weren't getting out of this one." Abraham caught Michonne's gaze in the rear view mirror and nodded. Michonne walked up toward the front of the RV and sat directly behind Abraham and turned her gaze toward the woman.

"Thank you," she said quietly.

The woman nodded and turned to look out the passenger side window out into the night. "How is the woman doing?" she asked quietly.

Michonne sighed. "Not well. She's burning up, getting dehydrated, cramping."

The woman turned quickly and frowned. "What's wrong with her?" she asked sharply.

Michonne met her gaze. "She's pregnant, about six months-maybe seven," she murmured.

The woman swore softly under her breath and rolled her window down to motion at another vehicle traveling to the side of them. The vehicle pulled up beside the RV and the woman leaned out slightly to shout to the other driver. "Stop a minute. There's a pregnant woman in here that needs to get to a doctor fast." She turned and considered a minute, then shouted again. "And a man that's been shot, lost a lot of blood." She motioned for Abraham to flash his lights at the vehicle ahead of them and stop the RV.

As soon as the RV stopped she scrambled out and yanked the larger RV door open. She pointed at Glen. "Get her out here and into the truck here. We can get her to a closer location-we have a doctor there too," she ordered briskly. Glen immediately began moving Maggie to a sitting position and with Eugene's help got her out of the RV and into the truck beside them. "Where's that man that was shot?" she asked. Rosita and Sasha half dragged Daryl out of the RV and toward the truck, his head lolling against Sasha's shoulder.

After securing them in the truck, the woman motioned Sasha and Rosita back into the RV. Rick now sat in the passenger seat and leaned out the open door. The woman shut the door in his face and motioned to the truck ahead of them to start moving again. "We've got a place close to here where those two can get medical care right away. When they're stable, we can bring them to where you'll be." As Rick started to protest, the woman shook her head. "No time to argue. Just follow the truck and in about another hour you'll be at one of my camps. You'll be safe there, we've sent word ahead to expect you." She smiled suddenly as she patted the side of the RV for Abraham to get moving. "Oh and your friends Carol and Morgan will see you there," she said as she turned and hopped into the passenger side of the truck and motioned for the driver to go.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

It had only taken another twenty minutes to get to the closer camp, and Glenn knew his group would never have found this place on their own. The truck had pulled up to a farmstead-house, barn, outbuildings, silos. The truck had pulled right into the silo and they'd quickly unloaded the injured. After securing the silo door, one of the men had produced a flashlight and led them to a door hidden under hay scattered on the floor. Pulling it up, the woman had led the way down a stairway to what appeared to be an underground dwelling. At the look on Glen's face, she smiled.

"Preppers hideout. We took it over. Apparently whoever had designed this and stocked it hadn't made it to their own hideout. It's pretty extensive, can hold up to fifty down here-they were really prepared-generators, running water, food to last a couple of years….you name it." She continued talking as they strode quickly down a couple of halls past a few closed doors. Turning right she led the way into a large, well lit room that seemed to be the infirmary. Her men situated both Maggie and Daryl on beds and some women and men entered and began rapidly taking vital signs and assessing the two wounded.

The woman motioned Glen to take a seat and stood beside him, watching the crew strip Daryl's shirt off and begin examining the gunshot. "Don't worry, they're both in good hands. We've got some top medical people here as well as equipment."

Glen gazed at her, dumbfounded. "How?" he managed to gasp out as he watched a woman hook Maggie up to an IV.

"I was in the FBI-we knew something was going on. I was part of a group that started getting places set up in case shit hit the fan. Months before it actually did. Some of those places of course got overrun themselves when people turned," she looked at Glen quickly. "You know we're all infected, right?"

Glen nodded silently.

"Well, some of the so called bunkers were overrun when the very people hiding in them turned. I knew where some of the preppers had hideouts in this area-we'd been watching them for years in the event they tried to stir shit up and then hide. So some of us brought survivors from those bunkers to other places-like this one." She shrugged. "A lot more top of the food chain survived than the average person realizes. There's places like this all over the country-we keep connected by radio and satellite using off channels only military knew about."

Glen glared at her. "So all of the top people are safe and the rest of us are just stumbling along trying to survive?" he spat out angrily.

She nodded. "Yes, right now that's the way it is. Until they can get their shit together and start mobilizing to clean up all the destruction they caused bombing cities etc. It'll be at least another year before things can slowly start normalizing-not that anything will ever be what we considered normal a few years ago." She barked a harsh laugh. "Thank your lucky stars I'm in charge in this particular area though-anyone else would've let your group get slaughtered by that jackass-we're not supposed to draw attention to ourselves while we're getting plans in place. But I call bullshit on that. My group has been keeping an eye on things around here for a while, and I wasn't about to let Negan get away with mass murder and dictatorship." She sighed and shrugged. She watched the medical team work on Maggie silently for a few minutes then turned to look at Glen. "You can thank that girl Enid for your wife's condition," she said at last.

Glen tore his gaze away from Maggie and frowned. "What are you talking about?"

"Enid is one of Negan's spies. She did something to Maggie, to get some of your group out on the road. That's how Negan's guys knew where you were going. How they were able to block you. I don't really know what happened with your guy Daryl there-we were busy tracking the RV." She watched Glen as he absorbed this information.

"Where is she now?" he snarled.

She laughed. "Oh she's at the same place we took Negan to. Not here, but you'll see her sooner or later. Trust me, she is going to pay for what she's done to your group." She patted Glen on the shoulder and turned to leave. "I've got to catch up with the others and contact the other camps. There's a cot over there that you can rest on-I know you don't want to leave her alone," and she smiled sympathetically and left.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

The woman entered the room they had settled Glen, Maggie and Daryl in. Glen had insisted on Daryl being in the same room with he and Maggie, and she had agreed reasoning the injured man would be less anxious awaking in a room with familiar faces.

She crossed the room silently, taking in the sight of Glen sleeping with Maggie curled on her side beside him, Glen's hand resting protectively over Maggie's swelling abdomen. They had been able to stop the cramping, and the ultrasound had revealed the fetus to still be viable. The doctor who had examined Maggie had advised Glen that Maggie would need bedrest for the next few weeks to ensure an eventual full term and healthy delivery. Glen had agreed without hesitation. He had almost lost both Maggie and the baby and he was willing to risk his wife's not inconsiderable wrath to ensure she stayed healthy and prevent any more complications.

Her smile faded as she crossed the room toward the bed Daryl lay in. He had lost a lot of blood, and although her group had blood ready for transfusions it was a limited supply. Even with a transfusion, there was the problem of how he'd been weakened from the blood loss, beating, and emotional trauma he'd undergone earlier. She was sure he hadn't been in the healthiest condition before getting shot by that idiot Dwight. His entire group looked like they were running on fumes-eating but not necessarily proper food, lack of proper sleep and rest….constant stress…..they were all likely candidates for PTSD therapy back when there was such a thing. And from the scars she'd seen covering the man's back and chest it was likely he hadn't had an easy existence before the virus hit. They'd stripped his filthy and bloody clothing from him and cleaned him up as best as possible before slipping a hospital gown on him. That's when she'd caught a glimpse of his scars.

She stood by the bed, quietly watching him as he frowned and moved restlessly in his sleep. She knew the amount of pain medications he'd been given and was surprised he was moving at all. The doctor had wanted him as still as possible –his gunshot wound had been worsened by the manhandling he'd had benefit of Dwight. She sighed, and took a seat beside his bed. She hadn't been able to sleep and had gotten up to make herself a mug of chamomile tea hoping it would help. While she drank it she might as well keep an eye on him to make sure he didn't get too restless and injure his shoulder even more.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Daryl and Beth stood outside the moonshine shack, watching it burn. Beth raised her middle finger to the shack, and then nudged him to do the same. As he stood watching the flames shoot higher in the sky, he caught a movement to his left out of the corner of his eye. Turning he was startled to see a woman with long red hair standing beside him. She looked familiar, but he knew somehow that she shouldn't be standing here with him and Beth. She turned to him and smiled and raised her hand in a one finger salute to the shack as well.

Daryl turned back to Beth, confusion plain on his face. Beth stepped closer to him and raised a hand to his cheek. He frowned now, realizing this was not how things had gone. He shook his head-he knew with the logic of dreams that he had dreamt this scene over and over in the months since Beth had died. And he'd never dreamt of anyone else being present or of Beth touching him. He opened his mouth to protest and Beth shook her head.

"Yes, your dream is different than usual. That's because your life is changing now-in a good way, if you choose to accept what's offered you." Beth nodded toward the woman to the left of Daryl and she stepped closer to the two. "This woman is going to help you and the others. You can trust her with your lives and your future. I've stayed with you longer than I should have, because I've been so worried that you would give up on everything and let something bad happen to you. You've been getting more and more reckless. But now I can leave because I know she'll take care of you. But it's up to you Daryl. You can take this chance and trust her and have happiness finally or you can push her away and continue on as you have been-lonely, afraid and heartbroken."

Beth placed her other hand on his other cheek and tiptoeing she kissed him softly on the lips. "I'll be waiting for you, but you need to stay behind a while longer. I know it hurts, and it's hard-but with her you'll find it easier to move forward and you'll find the happiness that was lost to us."

Daryl grabbed Beth tightly to him. "Beth, it was all my fault what happened…..I wasn't careful like I should have been…" he whispered brokenly.

Beth gently loosened his hold on her and leaned back to look up into his eyes. "Oh, Daryl, no. That was how it was supposed to happen. You met me to learn there are good people in this world. You lost me to learn to open up to those people and let yourself be loved by them. If none of that had happened you wouldn't be ready to meet her and take a step in a different and better direction."

Daryl shook his head stubbornly. "Don't leave," he pleaded.

Beth kissed him softly again on the lips and brushed his hair from his eyes. "It won't be that long, time will pass quickly if you choose to trust and love and let yourself be loved. I promise you'll be happy and when it's your time to leave I'll be waiting for you. I promise," she smiled softly at him and motioned for the woman to come stand beside Daryl. "Let her love you, Daryl, and let yourself love her."

Daryl turned to grab for Beth and realized she was gone. He clenched his fist and swore softly. Looking up he saw the woman walking towards the woods slowly, as if she were waiting for him to follow. She stopped and looked at him. "This is your choice, Daryl. You don't have to do anything you don't want to do. But I promise you, if you come with me your life will eventually be easier and happier. It'll take a little bit to get to that point, but you'll have me at your side going through the rough parts with you. It's your choice though." And she turned and stepped onto a path that led into the woods.

Daryl looked around him, at the smoke and flames burning the shack and his past to ashes. He was tired of being lonely-everyone else seemed to be making a life for themselves, finding people to share it with. He'd been lonely before, but he'd always had his brother to fall back on. Now Merle was long gone, as well as Beth-the person he'd started to think he could have a life with. He looked toward the path the woman had taken and realized if he waited much longer she'd disappear from his sight.

Daryl wiped at his face and realized it was wet from tears. He had let Beth down in life, he'd be damned if he let her down again-no matter if it was a dream. He shifted his crossbow across his shoulder and set off at a jog toward the path the woman had started down. "Wait up!" he hissed as loudly as he dared. "Wait for me!"


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Seeing that Daryl had settled down and was sleeping quietly, she stood up to go back to her room. As she turned to go, she heard a noise and turned back to look at him. To her surprise his eyes were open and he was gazing at her intently.

"Don't go," he rasped. She shook her head in bewilderment, thinking he was confused from the pain medication. "Don't leave," he insisted. She hesitated, then sat back in the chair beside him. "I don't know your name," he continued hoarsely.

She reached for a glass of water and held it out for him while he drank greedily through the straw. "My name's Leanora," she said softly. "You probably don't remember much about what happened…" she began.

Daryl shook his head and took a deep breath. "Only that you saved us from whatever the hell that crazy fucker was planning," he wheezed.

She nodded silently, waiting to see if he would say anything else.

"Thank you," he said softly. She leaned forward to hear him and was surprised when he grasped her free hand and held it tightly a moment, then released it. His eyes closed and his breathing slowed again.

She placed the glass back on the bedside table and gazed at Daryl thoughtfully. She sat back in her chair and decided to stay at his bedside, just in case he awoke again.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Daryl opened his eyes and blinked them into focus. Peering around he saw Glen sitting beside Maggie's bed. Glen noticed Daryl's eyes were open and smiled. "Hey, you're finally awake!" he said softly. Glancing quickly at Maggie's sleeping form, Glen quickly crossed the room to Daryl's bedside.

"Hey, it's good to see you awake man," Glen said, relief obvious in his features and face.

Daryl nodded slightly and sighed as he struggled to sit up some. "How long I been out?" he asked, his voice hoarse.

Glen frowned. "Two days now." At the look on Daryl's face, Glen hastened to explain. "You'd lost a lot of blood, you were going into shock. They gave you a transfusion and kept you knocked out so wouldn't move around much-so your shoulder could heal a bit," Glen paused. "We thought we had lost you," he said softly, and he briefly touched Daryl's shoulder.

"Where the fuck are we?" Daryl asked. He felt worse than he'd ever felt in his life-bone weary and aching all over, and he bit back a groan as he tried to shift into a more comfortable position.

"It's some preppers place. I don't know how much you remember-but the woman that yelled at Negan saved us. Her group attacked Negan's. He's confined somewhere-they have a couple of different camps. She was with the FBI and they stockpiled supplies and ammo and weapons and food. The whole time we've been trying to find a safe place and lost our people-Herschel, Beth, Lori….the whole damn time the big shots were safe in all these hiding places around the country." Glen shook his head angrily. "Leanora, that's her name, told me and then Maggie that her group is in charge in this area and that they'd been watching Negan a while. And she said Enid is a spy of his-that's how they knew where the RV was headed and what roads to block." At the look of anger on Daryl's face, Glen nodded. "Yeah, they have her the same place Negan is. I don't know where, but she promised those two would pay for what they've done."

"How's Maggie? And the baby?" Daryl mumbled.

"Good. The baby is safe, but Maggie will have to be on bedrest a while," Glen answered, rolling his eyes at the thought of Maggie being on bedrest.

Daryl smirked. "Good luck with that," Daryl rasped and began to cough. Glen helped Daryl sit up a bit and gave him a glass of water which Daryl greedily drank down. Sighing Daryl nodded at Glen that he could lean back again.

Hearing a noise near the door, they both tensed up out of habit as the door swung open.

"Rick!" Glen called out and jogged over to the door to throw his arms around Rick in welcome. Rick laughed and hugged Glen back then looked around the room inquisitively.

"Looks like they been taking care of you all real well," he said, nodding his head as he continued to look around.

"Yeah, this place is pretty well supplied," Glen replied. "How was the camp you've been at?"

"Same," Rick answered. "Food, supplies, running water, lights-they've also been very open with information about what's been going on –not just here but everywhere," Rick looked at Glen searchingly.

"So they told you about the safe places, and how they knew something was going to happen?" Glen said, anger seeping back into his voice.

Rick nodded. "Yeah, we got the abbreviated version like I'm sure you did. We were right near a safe camp when we were in the prison. If they'd helped us, we would never have lost Lori or Herschel or Beth or any of the others," Rick gritted out.

A yelp from Daryl drew their attention and they crossed over to his bedside.

"What the fuck're ya saying?" Daryl snarled.

Rick and Glen looked at each other, then at Daryl. "We found out there was a place like this right near the prison-or near enough that they could have easily taken us in. We're damn lucky Leanora is in charge of this place-otherwise we'd be at the mercy of that lunatic Negan." Rick paused to let this sink in. "We owe her our lives. And we've been invited to join her group-live with them underground in these camps or stay in Alexandria but with them giving us supplies and helping us better fortify the town."

Glen nodded eagerly. "Yeah, I already told Leanora that Maggie and I are staying put until the baby comes. I've had enough close calls the last couple of months-I don't want to take any more chances of one of us not making it through another herd overrun or another group like Negan's coming around."

Rick nodded. "Michonne and I talked too. I want Carl and Judith to stay safe. Michonne and I are going back to Alexandria and help fortify the place, but then we're coming back to be with Carl and Judith. And anyone who wants to join us is welcome. But I'm like Glen-I've had enough of close calls and sleepless nights and wondering when the next disaster is going to happen. Carl's already lost an eye-I'm lucky it wasn't worse. And Judith needs a safe place to grow up," and he sighed wearily, rubbing his hand over his face.

Daryl listened quietly. Logically he knew he wasn't in any shape to go anywhere for a while-and the thought of recuperating somewhere safe with his family safe nearby went a long way to reducing the stress he'd been constantly under for what felt like years now.

The woman who had been instrumental in their rescue entered the room and stopped at the sight of Rick. She smiled and crossed the room to stand near the three men. "I'm glad you got to come over today. Your friend here seems to finally be awake so you can actually have a real visit," she said.

Daryl watched her closely-he had always had an excellent bullshit detector, but none of his alarm bells went off. She seemed to be sincere in her greeting to Rick. Daryl noted that Glen seemed to already be comfortable with her as he joked a bit with her. Rick too seemed to show her no small measure of respect as he spoke with her. He sighed and shifted about as he listened to them talk about the other camp and plans for moving Judith and Carl here for the time being. Every once in a while, he noted her eyes would glance his way and hold his gaze for just a moment before she turned her attention back to Rick or Glen. He didn't usually appreciate anyone looking directly at him, part of the reason he hadn't cut his hair was so he could hide under the shaggy mess-but her gaze didn't make him feel intimidated, or challenged. It was direct without making him feel uncomfortable. Almost as if she was gauging his reactions to what she was saying-not necessarily for his approval but for his opinion.

She smiled suddenly and turned to go. "I'll let you all visit. I'll have someone bring some food and drinks for you all –I'm sure Maggie will be starving when she wakes up," she called out as she went out the door.

Rick and Glen turned and gazed speculatively at Daryl. "What the fuck are you two lookin' at me like that for?" he snapped as he shifted about restlessly.

Glen smirked at Rick. "Somebody has an admirer," he said teasingly.

Rick's eyebrows went up and he smirked as well. "So it seems," he drawled.

Daryl glared at the two men. "What the fuck are you two yapping about?" he huffed, crossing his arms across his chest and then wincing at the pain in his shoulder.

"All I know is she was in here the last three nights when you were knocked out-slept right there in that chair by your bedside," Glen stated matter of factly.

Daryl flushed with embarrassment. "The fuck you say."

Rick hummed and nodded in agreement. "All I know is those looks she was giving you just now-well she looked the cat that had gotten a hold of the cream," he teased.

Daryl rolled his eyes in exasperation. "Thought it was me that had been drugged up the last few days-guess they been slippin' something to you two as well," he huffed again.

Rick and Glen clapped each other's backs and snickered. "We'll see about that Dixon, we'll see," Rick laughed again at the look on Daryl's face-his cheeks were red with embarrassment but there was something else there as well-it seemed to Rick that Leanora wasn't the only one who was smitten. He sent up a silent prayer that after all that had happened to them all this would finally be a time of rest and maybe some happiness for his family. Especially Daryl.


	8. Chapter 8

May 9, 2016

Hello readers! I just wanted to first apologize for having been so tardy in posting new chapters to my stories the last couple of weeks. I do have an explanation though…

Another writer on this site and on Archive Of Our Own-she goes by both Mistyeye and bubblesbromleigh-and I are collaborating on a novel. This is not a fanfiction novel, but is in fact a fiction novel taking place in England during WWII. The inspiration for the novel was Norman Reedus-we are both fans of his beyond TWD and began bouncing ideas off each other as to what type of role would let him really show off his acting chops.

This novel is the result of our brainstorming and collaboration. We have a page on FB-MistyKat Productions, have started a GoFundMe page for startup and research expenses and hope to have our novel published as an ebook by December of this year at the latest.

I hope you can visit our FB page and like and share it with your friends. I'll be posting more regularly hopefully to my works already in progress here on Fanfiction and as always I am grateful for your reviews, suggestions and encouragement and your patience while waiting for updates.

Fingers crossed!


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 8

A week after arriving, Daryl, Glenn and Maggie were joined by Carl and Judith as well as Morgan and Carol. Abraham had returned to Alexandria to help in fortifying the city along with Rick and Michonne. Sasha and Rosita had elected to stay at the first camp they'd been taken to in order to catch up on the information Leanora's group had regarding locations of safe areas and groups that were being watched due to similarities to Negan's group. Eugene had joined Carol and Morgan in transferring to the shelter Daryl and Maggie and Glenn were staying. Although he'd admitted to lying about his knowledge regarding the outbreak, he did actually have a grasp on some of the particulars that Leanora's group were interested in exploring.

It took Daryl two weeks before he felt able to move about on his own for more than a few steps –the blood loss and beating had left him weaker than he'd ever remembered feeling. Although he was no longer staying in the main infirmary, he was still in the medical area of the prepper's hideout. Glen and Maggie had been moved into a room of their own in the main living area-more like a suite with a bed screened off from a sitting area. Everyone ate in the general mess area-a large open kitchen and dining area where the majority of the inhabitants of the shelter gathered for meals and exchanged information they'd received from other outposts. Today was the first day Daryl had felt up to making the short walk to the dining area and attempting to eat a meal with someone other than himself.

As he neared the dining area, he leaned against the wall to take a brief pause. He shook his head in disgust with himself. Merle would laugh himself sick if he could see the shape he was in. It had never taken him this long to spring back from a beating –he was disappointed in himself. He'd thought he was tougher than this. He sighed and moved to step away from the wall and continue into the dining area. As he straightened his shoulders, he felt a light touch on his arm and jerked involuntarily in surprise.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to startle you," he heard a soft voice exclaim. He relaxed a bit when he realized it was Leanora speaking to him.

"S'alright," Daryl mumbled, "always been jumpy." He cleared his suddenly parched throat and mentally kicked himself for letting himself be found leaning against a wall like some pussy.

"No, it's my fault for sneaking up on you like that," Leanora demurred. She looked at him as if there was something more she wanted to say then blushed and looked down at her feet.

"Um, just goin' ta try and eat some lunch now," Daryl mumbled again, his face and neck growing hot with nervousness.

Leanora glanced up at his face and smiled happily. "I'm so glad you feel up to it. I'm sure you're getting stir crazy in your room. I talked to one of the nurses and they're going to start you on some physical therapy for your shoulder-just a little bit of stretching movement to keep the muscles from stiffening up too much. That'll get you out and about a little more."

Daryl nodded thankfully at this news. "Yeah, never have been one ta sit around for days like I been doin'," he rasped out, his throat growing dryer by the minute.

"Well, hey is it alright if I walk with you to the dining hall? I have to talk to one of my guys about something," she asked.

Daryl nodded, not trusting his throat to not to choke up completely from being parched. They continued on their way a short distance and into the dining hall. Daryl was relieved to see Carol and Carl sitting with Judith at a table. Leanora walked with him over to the table, said hello to the others and headed off to another table to speak with a man sitting there.

Carol smiled openly at Daryl. "Well, I wondered when you'd be prowling around the halls. I'm surprised they were able to keep you still this long," she teased, all too aware of how close their group had come to losing both Daryl and Maggie. Carl laughed and fed Judith a French fry.

Daryl huffed and sat down slowly and carefully. "Guess I'm gettin' old. Never had no trouble bouncing back from anything before," he grumbled.

Carol shook her head at him teasingly. "We're all getting old I believe. Thankfully we're in a place now that seems to be safe and we can all hopefully get some relief from all the stress we've been under. That constant stress has made me feel some mornings like I'm a hundred years old," she said softly.

Daryl nodded in agreement. "What do they got here ta eat? Food any good?" he asked Carl. Carl laughed and nodded happily.

"Yeah, they've got food just like we all had before the walkers started. Whoever stocked this place knew what they were doing," he replied as he fed Judith another French fry.

Daryl smirked at the thought of what he'd been eating before the shit hit the fan. It sure hadn't been what Carl and the rest of them had been eating. It had pretty much been what they'd all been eating since they met each other-venison, squirrel, rabbit, possum-pretty much any animal he had been lucky enough to come across out in the woods. Fish he and Merle had caught if it had been a lucky day fishing. Once in a great while if he had money from working an actual job-usually as a mechanic for cash while Merle was serving time in a local jail-he'd splurge and get a pizza or burgers or fried chicken from some fast food place. The only thing that had changed for him once the walkers showed up was that he now had to worry about somebody dead trying to eat him.

He sighed and shook off the unhappy memories and looked toward the kitchen area. "Do I go up and ask 'em for something?" he asked Carol.

As he asked, Leanora walked up to their table with a plate of food in her hands. "I hope you don't mind, but I ordered you something to help build you back up. Steak, potatoes, green beans. Is that okay? The nurses said you'll need to build up your iron again even after the transfusion." She set the plate down and Carol eyed both Leanora and Daryl curiously. She watched Daryl duck his head down and flush pink, but there was also a very small smile playing on his lips. If someone didn't know Daryl, they would have missed that tiny upturn of his mouth, but Carol had watched and learned Daryl Dixon's mannerisms and expressions for a few years now, and the look on his face told her he had a crush on this woman. And from the look on Leanora's face, the feeling was mutual.

Carol sat back in her chair a bit and sighed softly. She had long had a crush on Daryl herself, but had realized after they had met up again after the prison fell that whatever slim chance she might have imagined she had was gone forever. The time Daryl had spent with Beth alone in those months after the prison fell had changed him, and she was smart enough to know her chance was gone. She had never asked him what had happened between he and Beth-but in the brief few days she had been at Grady with Beth she had seen a change in the young woman too. The way Beth had spoken Daryl's name, the way her face softened and her eyes widened when she spoke of their time together let Carol know Beth and Daryl had felt strongly about each other. She had seen how devastated he had been when Beth had been killed-more so than he would have been if Beth had died back at the farm or at the prison. No, whatever had happened in the time Beth and Daryl had spent alone together had marked them both.

Carol had grown worried over Daryl's unrelenting guilt over Beth's death, and his increasing recklessness while outside the walls. She was afraid he had a death wish, and had spent many a sleepless night thinking of how she could help him through this dark phase. Lord knew he had been a constant presence in the aftermath of both Ed and Sophia's deaths, unfailingly gentle and kindhearted with her. He deserved the same now that he was in his own rough patch.

As Carol watched Leanora and Daryl mumble to each other, each blushing and flustered, she felt her anxiety for her friend lessen just a little. Maybe Leanora would be the answer to her prayers that her friend would find a reason to go on, and although Carol would always regret she herself couldn't be the answer she could love her friend enough to be happy for him in finding another woman to love and find the will to live for.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 9

Daryl was making his way slowly down the hall toward his room-his physical therapy session had tired him out more than he cared to admit. He now had his own room, out of the infirmary and just down the hall from Maggie and Glenn, Carl and Judith and Carol's rooms. It was nice to have his own room to rest in but still be close enough to his family to keep tabs on them.

He leaned against the wall and sighed with exasperation at himself. Two weeks now of physical therapy and although he was slowly getting some strength back it would still be a while before he could manage his bow like he was used to. And he still tired far too easily for a man who had for years been accustomed to getting by on three hours of sleep a night. Sometimes less.

As he leaned against the wall, a door opened to his left and Leanora stepped out. Daryl swore softly under his breath-he didn't want her to keep seeing him like this-leaning against walls or lying on a couch in the library like some weak pussy. Leanora's head turned in his direction and he stifled a sigh of disgust with himself and straightened up some.

Leanora smiled and walked over to where Daryl stood. "Hi, you're getting around so much better every day now," she said cheerfully. Daryl flushed with embarrassment at her obvious lie. She was an awfully kind woman to ignore what they both knew was obvious-he was useless right now and it would be some time before he'd be able to pull his own weight again. Daryl averted his eyes and rolled his unwounded shoulder slightly. "Daryl, you have no idea how badly hurt you were or else you'd see how well you're doing in such a short time," Leanora stated firmly. At Daryl's continued silence Leanora frowned. "Well, here if you don't believe me then I can show you," she finally said and pulled his arm slightly in the direction of the doorway she'd just stepped out of.

"What do ya mean?" Daryl questioned irritably. He really wanted to just go lie down in his room and suffer through his embarrassment and humiliation alone.

"Come on in here," Leanora said as she pulled Daryl into a room full of photos clipped up on clothes lines. She walked past these to another section of room where dry photos lay in stacks on counters. She pulled a chair toward the far counter and motioned for Daryl to sit while she sat in the chair beside him. "These are photos we've been taking all along of the areas we've come across. Towns that have been emptied and razed by attacks and fire. Herds we've come across traveling down deserted highways and across open fields. We made sure when we set up our particular camps that we had ways and means of keeping a record of what we saw-both in writing down what we found and by taking pictures for the records. We want everyone who survives this shit to have a record they can look at to understand what happened, how it happened and how we fixed things," and here she paused to look at Daryl. He nodded silently and looked at some of the photos that looked to have been taken early on during the virus.

Leanora reached for a stack of photos to her right and placed them in front of Daryl. "Here, this is what you need to look at," she said as she handed him the top photo. Daryl started as he stared at an image of himself kneeling in front of Negan-or trying to kneel. He was mostly slumped over to his side with a dark stain all down his right side. As well as a small pool on the ground to his right side. "That's right. That's you. You had lost such an amount of blood that you were incapable of kneeling. If we hadn't stopped his bullshit when we did, you'd be dead. So would Maggie. And so would whoever it was that motherfucker had decided to strike with that stupid bat of his." Leanora made an angry sound. "You aren't Superman Daryl, despite what you'd like to believe. There isn't a man or woman alive that could survive what you went through that day and have the ability to be up and around the next day or so. So quit beating up on yourself. While you may not be able right now to help us physically, you can definitely help us in other ways. Your family says that you can track like no one they've ever seen, you are amazing at studying people and deciphering their motives. You sound like you would make a good profiler. We need you to help us when we connect with other communities –you sound like you have a great bullshit detector. We need that so that when we make a decision to let new people in to our camps we can be confidant we're making the right decision." Leanora sat back and studied Daryl as he sifted through the photos from that night with Negan and his men.

"I'd also like to ask you a favor, if you're willing," she said softly. Daryl looked up at her, curiosity plain on his face. "I'd like you to be present when we interrogate Negan." At Daryl's startled expression, Leanora sighed. "We want to question him-about where he was before he camped here. What he's seen. We need as much information as possible from anyone we can get it from. Even a piece of shit like Negan. We're trying to map out areas, trying to see where the walkers have moved away from in the hopes of establishing some camps and taking the country back from maniacs and the dead. Since you're good at detecting bullshit, I though you could just sit in and then give us your opinion of what he tells us. If he tells us anything at all," she continued.

Daryl thought quietly about the offer. It would make him feel better if he contributed in some way while he recuperated. And he was curious to see what Negan was like when he wasn't striding around waving that damn bat at people. His hands stopped moving the pictures around and he stilled as he gazed intently at the photo in front of him. It was a picture of him slumped over on the ground, and beside him with a hand on his shoulder was a figure with long, light hair. He looked at Leanora and back at the photo.

"Who is this?" he asked a bit shakily, pointing to the figure in the picture.

Leanora leaned over and narrowed her eyes. "What? I don't see anyone. There's some damn spot or something we couldn't get off the picture there." And she gazed back at him curiously.

Daryl shook his head and let out a huff of breath he'd unconsciously been holding. "Nothing. Just looked strange, kinda like a person standing there. Must be the shape of the spot or something," he said, his voice trailing off in embarrassment.

Leanora nodded in agreement but placed the picture to the side where she could examine it more closely later. "Well, do you want something to eat? I was just about to go get early dinner or something when I came out in the hall," and at that her stomach growled and she laughed and turned red.

Daryl smirked at her red face. "Why ya always tryin' ta feed me? Ever' time I see ya, ya ask me if I'm hungry," he mumbled shyly.

Leanora smirked back. "Because I'm always hungry and I don't like eating alone," she teased.

Daryl huffed out a laugh to his own surprise and nodded. "Alright then, as long as it's cuz yer hungry and yer not tryin' ta fatten me up," he snorted in amusement.

Leanora gave him a sly look. "Oh I can think of a lot of ways to keep you from getting fat, Daryl Dixon," she whispered and then laughed at the sudden red on his face. "C'mon, let's get some food and I'll tell you all the ideas I have to keep you fit and trim," she whispered in his ear to his astonishment.


	11. Chapter 11

CHAPTER 10

A week later Daryl sat on a chair in a room that had been set up as a basic interrogation room. Obviously he couldn't observe behind one way glass the way Leaonora had explained was the manner of profilers back in the day, but he was seated in the shadows and the bright lights on Negan would hamper his view of the rest of the room. Leanora sat beside Daryl in order for Daryl to suggest questions if he thought of any that should be asked.

Negan sat manacled at a table, with two men facing him and four others within striking distance of the table. He sat there quietly, a small smirk playing about his lips as if he thought he had a way out of his current situation.

"This is what I want from you," one of the men seated at the table said quietly. "I want an account of where you were when the shit hit the fan and every place you've been up until we brought you in."

Negan nodded thoughtfully. "That's it?" he questioned.

"Yep. That's all we need from you," the man replied.

"And what do I get in return?" Negan said, laughing slightly.

The man shrugged. "Nothing. This isn't a bargaining session. There aren't any deals to be offered. You simply give us the information we want."

Negan frowned. "So, I don't get a promise of a better cell? Better food? Something? Why would I tell you anything without any incentive?"

"How about instead of drawing and quartering you, we just make it quick and shoot you in the head?" spat one of the men standing. The man sitting at the table who had been talking burst out laughing and gave a high five sign to the man who had spoken.

Negan frowned, his smirk all gone by now. "Fuck you," he spat out.

Leanora stood suddenly and strode over to the table. "Not so fun when you're the one being forced to kneel is it?" she snarled. "Would you like us to get your bat and wave it around so you feel more comfortable?"

Negan froze, glaring at her. Then he frowned and closed his eyes, thinking. After a few seconds of silence he opened his eyes and smiled broadly. "I know now where I've seen you," he said, his smirk back.

Leanora frowned. "Of course you do, I'm the one who broke up your party a few weeks ago," she snapped irritably.

"No, I've seen you before then," Negan continued smoothly. "In a picture. Yes, yes that's where I saw you," and he paused and nodded.

"A picture?" Leanora puzzled.

Daryl stood up suddenly, a bad feeling overwhelming him. Negan was teasing her, taunting her. Hoping to get her off her guard. He was manacled, but who knew what that bastard was capable of? Daryl started across the room, his heart starting to thump loudly in his chest.

"Yes," Negan answered. "In Graham Wilson's office. That's where I saw you, a picture on his wall. You graduated from the Academy and he had a picture of your class on his wall," Negan continued.

Leanora shook her head in confusion. "What are you talking about? How would you have ever been in Graham's office?" she said dismissively.

Negan smiled broadly and shrugged carelessly. "Why when I slit his throat. That's when I saw your picture," and he sat still and gazed at all of them with interest.

Leanora started as if someone had slapped her. The other men moved restlessly and mumbled angrily. Daryl reached Leanora's side and gripped her arm tightly to keep her from getting closer to the table. "Don't listen to him," he rasped at her.

Negan glanced at Daryl and laughed again. "Oh no, she should listen to me. You want to know where I was when all of this happened? I was being tracked by your precious Graham Wilson. Wasn't there a case you were working on with him? Men being murdered with little clues left behind?"

Leanora gasped and the two men sitting at the table stood suddenly and stepped back away from the table. "That's not possible," one of the men mumbled uncertainly.

Negan nodded. "Yes, yes it is. I was the man you were tracking. The serial killer who had killed men at random up and down the East Coast, or so it seemed. I thought I had left enough clues for you to realize what I was doing-that I was in fact doing society a favor by getting rid of these men. But for some reason you people just couldn't catch on." He paused, taking in their shocked and appalled expressions. Daryl tightened his grip on Leanora's arm and attempted to pull her away but she stood rooted to the spot. "I finally paid a visit to Graham to try to point him in the right direction. I heard him on the phone with someone, I'm guessing now that it was you," and he nodded at Leanora and Daryl observed what remaining color that was left in her face drain completely away. "I had him point you out in that picture, I wanted a face for the name," and at this Negan sighed sardonically. "Ah love. Such a folly! Men leave their wives for someone they think will make them happier. Isn't that what the two of you were discussing? All the machinations involved in getting that divorce so the two of you could be together? And how the two of you could keep everything quiet and out of the news?"

Daryl felt Leanora sag beside him, certain that if he hadn't been gripping her arm she would have fallen to the floor. "Shut him the fuck up," Daryl spat out finally. "He's fucking with all of ya. Trying to get ya ta do something stupid so he can get the upper hand. Take him back to his cell and get yer heads right before ya talk ta him again," he snarled.

Negan laughed loudly. "A voice of reason!" he exclaimed, obviously happy that his statements had left his interrogators unsure of themselves and confused as to how to proceed after this information.

"C'mon," Daryl said roughly as he began dragging Leanora toward the door of the interrogation room.

Negan watched Daryl wrestle a stumbling Leanora toward the door. "What was that little nickname he had for you again? Let me think…." He began.

Daryl growled angrily. "Shut yer fuckin' mouth or I'll shut it for ya with yer own fuckin' bat!" he snarled. He yanked the door open and shoving Leanora roughly through it he slammed it behind him. Turning to her he grasped both her arms and shook her roughly. "You can't let him do that to ya! Ya can't let him get into yer head!" he rasped.

Leanora gazed up at him, an anguished look on her face. "The only way he could know all that is if he really was in Graham's office," she choked out. Daryl noted immediately her familiar use of the man's first name, and wondered how he could convince her to leave the interrogation to the others in their group. Negan had too much information he could screw with her head about-it wouldn't be safe for her to be anywhere near that man again. Leanora began to sob harshly and Daryl instinctively pulled her to him and wrapped his arms around her while she wept.


End file.
